


I Work For A Man...

by Atlanta, KaliTracer, viralguardian



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Comedy, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Sonnets, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-20
Updated: 2013-09-20
Packaged: 2017-12-27 02:29:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/973216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atlanta/pseuds/Atlanta, https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaliTracer/pseuds/KaliTracer, https://archiveofourown.org/users/viralguardian/pseuds/viralguardian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when Clint Barton gets into trouble? He talks his way out of it of course!</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Work For A Man...

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Atlanta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atlanta/gifts), [KaliTracer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaliTracer/gifts).



The blow snapped Clint’s head backwards, causing him to release a grunt of pain before hanging his head again. His bottom lip was busted and he was certain he sported a black eye. Regardless, he gave his captors a wicked grin.

 

“Who do you work for?” the tallest of them, also the one who just hit him, demanded.

 

Clint smiled. “The Department of Agriculture,” he teased. “Have you dusted your crops today?”

 

The man punched him in the stomach again. His breath left him in a huff and caused him to cough up blood. If Coulson were here, he would have shaken his head at Clint. He was always saying his smart mouth would get him into trouble one day.

 

“I’m going to ask you one more time, you little shit,” the man spat at him. The other two leered from behind him. “Who do you work for?”

 

Grinning again, he reveled in the knowledge that these men had no idea who they were dealing with. He knew if Coulson found out they were holding his operative, there would be hell to pay, especially since it was him.

  
“I work for a man…,” Clint started with Coulson – _his Coulson_ – in mind, “a brilliant man with striking blue eyes.” He feigned a dreamy look.

 

The man, frowning and unimpressed, struck him again. This time, it nearly tipped the chair they tied him to over.

 

Unfazed, Clint smiled and continued. “His speed and agility leaves some breathless as his strength fells even the strongest of men.” He only paused when they punched him in the gut but he was quick to shake it off. “No one can match his impeccable style and he makes even the sharpest dressed men green with envy.” It wasn’t often he got to wax poetic like this.

 

“Is this guy for real?” one of the men standing off to the side asked in disbelief.

 

The assaulting captor growled before slapping Clint. “Shut the hell up!” he demanded.

 

Determined now, he pressed on. “His passion for justice is unparalleled and only few ever dare challenge him. He walks with the grace of a panther and just as deadly.” He gave them an evil smile, which was only fueled by the realization these men didn’t know what to do anymore, as evidenced by the way the man backed off. This was invigorating. “I work for a man whose loyalty is unmatched, whose overprotective nature knows no limit.” Now the grin was feral. “You really want to know the man I work for?”

 

As if on cue, the door burst off its hinges. A cloud of smoke filled the room and S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers swarmed the room, holding the men at gunpoint. Out of the smoke, Agent Coulson walked in, pausing at the doorway to assess the scene before crossing his arms.

 

Clint kept grinning. “That is my man,” he breathed, relieved to see him. An instant after, he realized _exactly_ what he said. “I mean the man,” he sputtered. “The man I work for. He’s…the man.” Knowing the game was done, he pulled his hands from behind the chair. He didn’t even take the time to relish the shock on his captors’ face over the fact he was free the entire time. He simply pointed at Coulson. “You da man, Agent Coulson!”

 

Shit, that was feeble.

 

Coulson gave him a look. “Agent Barton. What are you doing?”

 

“Just keeping them entertained until you arrived, sir,” he responded, carefully standing.

 

“Take them to the holding area,” Coulson ordered to the soldiers. He returned his attention to Clint as the soldiers cuffed their prisoners and removed them from the area. “Agent Barton, have I not told you one day that mouth of yours will land you in trouble?”

 

Clint only relaxed slightly when Coulson unfolded his arms when he approached. “Yes, sir. You did, sir,” he responded, rubbing at his wrists.

 

The agent nodded. “That I did. Oh, and Barton? Next time you decide to compose a sonnet in my honor, make sure your com is set to our private channel.” He said this without any expression and simply looked at Clint, who was now staring at him dumbfounded, before turning onto his heel and walking away.

 

His hand flew to his ear and sure enough, the tiny com was in his ear canal. Really having no choice but to chuckle a bit at the absurdity of all this, he beamed at no one as he followed the man he worked for.

**Author's Note:**

> The inspiration for this story comes from a line delivered in Avatar: The Last Airbender during The Deserter episode. While they are flying away from a village with a man they just met, the man turns around and says "I work for a man..." Then for some reason there is a pause before he continues. For reasons unknown, I have always found this line to be highly amusing. I expressed this amusement to KaliTracer and we both came up with the idea you see above. I wrote out the story as a gift to her and Atlanta beta'd it for me. She did an excellent job as a beta. Many thanks to both of them. They are the best friends I could ever ask for. This one is for you two!


End file.
